Opportunities for Change

BC Fisheries are under threat by policies that do not consider social and economic objectives of fisheries and instead enable private investors and large companies to purchase, own and lease local fishing rights with no obligation to harvest fish. The Fisheries for Communities Gathering happened in Feb 2018 and there was an agreement on the need for immediate fisheries policy reform.

The Federal Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard has put forward Bill C-68, a bill that provides an opportunity for social and economic objectives to be considered in the fisheries Act and enable policy change in the Pacific.

This report aims to bring the voices of those affected by poor policies to the attention of the federal government, who now has a unique opportunity to build a more sustainable, equitable and prosperous future with, and for the people of the Pacific Coast Fishery.